Leeds-Grenville remains blue after Steve Clark's overwhelming victory in March 4 provincial by-election
Posted Mar 11, 2010 By Ashley Kulp
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Ashley Kulp, Perth EMC
Leeds-Grenville MPP Steve Clark makes his victory speech amid supporters at his campaign headquarters at the Royal Brock.
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Ashley Kulp, Perth EMC
Newly-elected Leeds-Grenville MPP, PC Steve Clark, left, shakes hands with Liberal candidate Stephen Mazurek and congratulates him on his campaign during Clark's March 4 election win celebration at his campaign headquarters at the Royal Brock in Brockville.
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EMC News - If new Leeds-Grenville MPP Steve Clark wasn't already overwhelmed by his large victory, the loud chants of 'Steve, Steve, Steve!' as he and his family entered his campaign headquarters at the Royal Brock on March 4, surely must have had an effect.
Ashley Kulp, Perth EMC
Just after announcing his victory in the March by-election, Ontario Progressive Conservative (PC) Party leader Tim Hudak, centre, leads the newest MPP for Leeds-Grenville Steve Clark, right, and his wife Deanna into their campaign headquarters at the Royal Brock that evening amid chants from supporters. Clark claimed a commanding lead early on as polls were counted, and never let up, securing 66.6 per cent of the entire vote.
The CAO of Leeds and 1000 Islands cruised to a landslide victory to capture the provincial byelection. Once ballots from all 230 polls from across the riding were counted, Progressive Conservative (PC) Clark, 49, earned 18,511 votes, more than 66 per cent of the entire vote. Next closest with 5,574 or just over 20 per cent of the vote was Liberal candidate Stephen Mazurek. In a surprise finish, the Green Party of Ontario's Neil Kudrinko finished third with 2,140 (7.7 per cent of the vote), followed by the NDP's Steve Armstrong with 1,440 (5.18 per cent of the vote). Rounding out the candidates was Ontario Libertarian Party candidate Anthony Giles with 129 votes.
Excitement was in the air as Clark and his wife Deanna were led into his Brockville campaign headquarters by Ontario PC Party leader Tim Hudak at approximately 9:45 p.m. Local municipal representatives, Leeds-Grenville MP Gord Brown and former MPP and now Senator Bob Runciman, were on hand to congratulate Clark. Visibly moved by the outpouring of support and the success of his month-long campaign, Clark was quick to thank voters.
"Rest assured, we are going to carry forward the message we received tonight from Leeds-Grenville...with Tim Hudak and the PC caucus, we will represent the good folks in Leeds-Grenville," he remarked. "Let's keep things going."
"...I'm extremely honoured that people felt enough confidence in me," Clark continued, as his wife noted that this had always been his dream. "I have some extremely large shoes to fill after Bob Runciman. He's been a great mentor of mine."
And as he made his victory speech, Clark poked fun at fellow candidate Mazurek's slogan to elect a "fresh voice."
"Let me tell you something, after six years of Dalton McGuinty, there's no such thing (as fresh). It's so stale that if it was a loaf of Tait's (Bakery) bread, I wouldn't even feed it to the ducks on Blockhouse Island!" he said, inciting a round of applause.
Clark thanked Hudak for his support throughout the brief campaign, noting it's "been fabulous" to have him in the riding at three events since the writ for the by-election was dropped in early February. He admitted that there's barely been time to breathe in the past month.
"...Less than a month ago we had 700 people upstairs at the Royal Brock," he said. "...We started a buzz in Leeds-Grenville right here and we're going to carry on and lead the Province of Ontario."
"I want to thank the hundreds of people (who supported me)," Clark continued, adding that he owes a debt of gratitude to campaign manager and Brockville lawyer John Johnston, fundraising chair Tim Sutton, and "the best riding president in Ontario," JoAnne Best.
While he is going to take some time to savour his win, Clark indicated he looked forward to serving the constituents of Leeds and Grenville. "People are mad at the way this province is being run, with over-taxing, fees and red tape. It's a hassle,"
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